Bittersweet Melodies
by Zsadist Cortel
Summary: Sometimes they are together. Sometimes they are not. Sometimes its just on the horizen. Music meme challenge! 5 drabbles based on 5 songs. Rated for safety. All SteveXTony but the first drabble.


**Disclaimer: I do not own The Avengers or any characters or events from Marvel. I simply enjoy using them in my stories. Please, don't sue me. Thank you.**

The One That Got Away

Peggy often wondered what would have happened if she had only stopped Steve Rogers from going after the Red Skull that day. Would they have finally worked out their feelings and gotten married? Perhaps they would have had a home in Brooklyn and three children with blonde hair and brown eyes or various combinations of their features. She might have woken up every day to that kind and handsome face that wasn't half as beautiful as the personality behind it. Or would they have discovered that they couldn't make it work and gone their separate ways after the war?

Now, watching Howard Stark lean over a table covered in maps, she could only wonder how life could have been. Stark was planning a search for Steve's body. She couldn't fathom why. It wasn't that Peggy didn't think they should look or that she didn't appreciate Howard's help, but she didn't understand why _he _was doing it! Steve and Howard had been friendly enough, but they had never been close friends or anything to that affect.

Peggy sighed, turning to exit the engineer's workshop, and hoped she wouldn't spend the rest of her life regretting having let Steve Rogers slip through her fingers.

Somewhere in the arctic a frozen soldier clutched a gold compass in his hand, sleeping but not dead. A photo of a beautiful brunette woman stared out from behind part of the broken cover. His first and greatest regret when he is finally pulled from his icy prison.

**Drunken Lament by Ludo**

Steve choked down another glass of vodka...or was it gin? He couldn't remember anymore. He might not be able to get drunk, but that didn't stop the super soldier from trying. He lolled his head back and blinked tiredly at the clock ticking rhythmically on the wall behind him. It had been two weeks. Just two weeks since Tony Stark had been taken from his world.

The Avengers had been on a routine mission when they were ambushed by a group of leftover Skrulls. They had fought hard but the Skrulls were relentless. They had to retreat. And Tony, stupid and reckless and incredibly brave Tony, had taken it upon himself to hold the creatures off so that his teammates could escape.

Steve still remembered the quick and hard kiss Tony had planted on his lips before shoving him away and then turned to face the Skrulls. "Go!" Tony had yelled over his shoulder at them. Steve had hesitated. "I'll catch up to you!" Tony had promised as he flipped the faceplate of his armor back down. It had been their first kiss. It would be the only kiss they ever had now.

**Three Little Words**

Tony wasn't going to lie to himself. He knew he was in love with Steve Rogers. Knew that Steve loved him back. Except, he could never say it. Steve would tell Tony he loved him at least once a day, but Tony couldn't bring himself to say the words. He wanted to. Gods, did he want to! But a childhood filled with coldness and admonishments for any perceived acts of weakness or sentiment had trained the billionaire to never verbalize those kind of feelings.

Tony sighed, looking over to where Steve sketched. They locked eyes and Steve smiled at him. Tony half smiled, half smirked back before returning to his thoughts and ignoring the work he was pretending to do.

He couldn't say it out loud now, but perhaps one day. Maybe one day those three little words wouldn't get stuck in his throat. Maybe one day he could tell Steve how much he truly loved him.

**Stay by New Found Glory**

Steve sighed as he watched Tony smirk at the cameras. Lights flashed. Blindingly bright. The Avengers were stuck at another of the Stark Industries galas that even Tony hated. This one was for some charity that Steve couldn't remember the name of right now. Watching the charismatic brunette pose for the paparazzi, Steve wondered why he stayed. Sure he loved the real Tony, but the fake persona Tony put on in public irked him to no end. Tony was a selfish brat most of the time, only hearing what he wanted and never really thinking about what he was saying.

Tony finished his impromptu photo shoot and returned to Steve's side once more. He noticed the grim expression on the blond's face and sighed. "What's with the face?"

"It's nothing," Steve lied. "I'm just tired and I hate coming to these things." Tony nodded in understanding and twined the fingers of one of his hands with one of Steve's.

"We'll cut out early if you want," Tony smiled softly. "Just give it an hour and I can make some excuses for us to leave. The rest of the team too if they want! And then we'll go back to the tower for shawarma and a movie marathon!" Steve smiled back.

"Okay." Tony grinned victoriously.

"I love you." Steve looked down into Tony's sincere brown eyes for a moment, reveling in the truth behind the words.

"I love you , too." Steve could remember now why he stayed.

**Right Now by SR-71**

Tony let the busty blonde model of the night cling to his arm. She was annoying and about as smart as a basketball, but she would work. Tony lifted his champagne glass to his lips and used the action to cover his glance across the ballroom. Steve Rogers stood in the middle of a group of veterans chatting happily. He laughed and every so often would wave his hands in emphasis of something. Tony had to stop himself from chuckling. Steve was too adorable some times.

Blondie (whatever her name was), whined at him for not listening to her story and Tony forced an apology out of himself. She pouted, but gave in after a minute when she saw it wasn't working. Tony was getting so sick of these brainless sluts. He wanted something more. But the person he wanted it with wasn't an option. At least these girls were good in bed. And this one was blonde with blue eyes! Just like the object of his unrequited affections. Tony sighed and let the monotony of the event pull him in.

Across the room, Steve Rogers watched enviously as another floozy draped herself over _his_ Tony. Tony Stark might not know it yet, Steve smirked as he took a quick gulp of his scotch, but he was Steve's. And no one, not even Tony himself, was going to stop him from making the genius from realize that in the near future. Steve laughed with the veterans around him, face schooled to not reveal a thing. Tony could have toys for right now. But when he was finally Steve's, Tony Stark wouldn't need anyone like them ever again.

Tony sneezed suddenly and then, for some reason he wasn't quite sure of, let his mouth tip into a smile of anticipation and happiness. Something good was going to happen.

**The End.**

**A/N: If anyone is interested, I might try to make the last part into an actual story. Let me know if you liked this! It's my first foray into writing The Avengers fanfiction!**


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